SAN DIEGO, Calif. (Oct. 17, 2012) – When Fila USA™ began selling its Toning Resistance Tight Capris in 2010 as part of its Fila Body Toning System (BTS), the company claimed the Lycra™-fabric product would yield a “50% increase in muscle workouts” and “41% more support.”

The study, conducted by a team of researchers at the Department of Exercise and Sport Science at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, sought to determine whether Toning Resistance Tight Capris increased muscle activation and caloric expenditure as the manufacturer claimed.

Exercise physiologists began the ACE-commissioned study using a test group of 16 healthy females ranging in age from 18 to 24, all of whom were properly fitted with a pair of Fila Toning Resistance Tight Capris.

During testing, the subjects were required to walk on a level treadmill at 2.5 mph, 3.0 mph and 3.5 mph for 5 minutes at each speed. The sequence was repeated twice; once while wearing toning capris and once while wearing regular athletic shorts. The order was randomly assigned, with each woman being given 5 minutes of rest between sequences.

During each of the exercises, researchers monitored the subjects’ VO2 and heart rate. Electromyography (EMG) electrodes simultaneously analyzed muscle activation of the gluteus maximus (butt), biceps femoris (rear thigh) and vastus lateralis (front thigh) for 15 seconds at the end of each 5-minute stage.

While activation increased significantly in each muscle as the treadmill speed increased, there was no significant difference in the level of activation while wearing athletic shorts or the toning capris. Study participants experienced a modest 2% difference in VO2 and a very small increase in caloric expenditure while exercising in the toning capris.

The increase in caloric expenditure due to the toning capris was about 0.09 kcal per minute, which researchers stated was enough to burn about “half a single Peanut M&M’s®” calorie-wise.

“The results of this study do not support the claims that exercising in these toning pants make workouts more effective in terms of muscle activation or calorie burning,” Bryant said. “But if women want the extra compression and tightness to improve their appearance, that could be another story. Many of the study participants reported that they felt more shapely wearing the toning pants. If looking better makes women more willing to work out, then that’s clearly a good thing.”